


You times infinite

by wolfodder



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-19
Updated: 2016-02-19
Packaged: 2018-05-21 23:10:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6061633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wolfodder/pseuds/wolfodder
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kyungsoo thinks he has his life all figured out. Then he dies, and his life...stays mostly the same. With the exception of a few things.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You times infinite

**Author's Note:**

> For my wonderful friend of (almost) two years, Su <3 This fic has gone through a bunch since about a year ago when I decided to write you a birthday fic (which just didn't happen because of life) and then a Christmas fic (which also didn't happen) BUT now it's done! You get the honours of my longest fic to date, and I really hope you like it :3 Love you lots! <3

Kyungsoo wakes up from his nap well rested, and in complete darkness. Which is weird, because Kyungsoo never wakes up like this.  
  
His eyes slide open and he turns to get his phone and check the time. 7:31pm. It takes him a minute to remember that his nap lasted for two hours more than he usually naps.  
  
“Oh, God,” he groans, suddenly aware of his lateness for the first lecture of the semester. He blames Jongdae, of course, who kept him up ranting about Minseok until late at night. Kyungsoo eventually fell asleep, leaving Jongdae to hang up the phone when he realized (probably very offended, judging by the texts he sent after hanging up, but that didn't matter), but apparently Kyungsoo needed to catch up on that lost sleep more than he knew, even after getting to sleep in this morning.  
  
He hurries to the kitchen, making a quick sandwich and gathering his supplies for physics, then gets on his bike to get to the university. He's already thirty minutes late, so the five minutes to the university by bike feel much too long.  
  
When he finally arrives in the lecture hall he quietly sits down at the first empty seat he sees, next to some boy he doesn't know, and tries to figure out what is going on. There are a bunch of formulas on the board without any other information, which is just confusing. Kyungsoo frowns. _Why._  
  
The boy next to him must have realized that he's having trouble, because he leans in and whispers, “He's talking about rotational inertia.” With only a quick glance in his neighbor's direction, a flash of tan skin and brown hair, Kyungsoo nods and mumbles a “thank you” as he opens his books and tries to catch up with notes of what the lecturer is saying and how the hell those calculations started.  
  
He doesn't look more at his neighbour until the end of the lecture. He starts to collect his things and has just stood up when the boy speaks to him again. “Hey, did you understand that last part? It confused me a bit,” he says, and Kyungsoo turns to look at him, and he hadn't realized how _cute_ the boy was. The guy is rubbing his neck, obviously a little bashful, and it looks pretty endearing.  
  
Kyungsoo explains as best he can as they leave the lecture hall and hang around outside, the other listening intently and nodding. “Oh, I think I get it now,” he murmurs thoughtfully, and then breaks into a shy smile. “Thanks for explaining it! I'm Jongin, by the way.”  
  
“I'm Kyungsoo,” Kyungsoo replies with a smile. “I have to go meet a friend, but it was nice to meet you! Maybe I'll see you around at some point.” It's unlikely, considering the amount of people who study physics, but there's a possibility. And Jongin is cute.  
  
“Sure,” says Jongin, looking hopeful. “See you around!”  
  
Kyungsoo leaves to meet Jongdae, feeling strangely but comfortably warm. Maybe it wasn't too bad a start to the semester.  
  
  
  
  
  
“I can't believe this,” Kyungsoo huffs to himself as he is on his way to the first lab of the semester. He's used to having Jongdae as his partner because they usually stick together, but the other seems dedicated to get closer to Minseok and has made plans to partner with him instead. It's not that Kyungsoo doesn't like Minseok, but now that he's stuck without a partner he'll have to find one in the many people he is very unfamiliar with.  
  
The lab, thankfully, is still the same as last time he was there, and at least that feels familiar. He finds himself a spot and starts to move his eyes around the room, wondering if anyone is free to partner with him.  
  
A finger taps his shoulder. Kyungsoo rolls his eyes. “I swear to God, Jongdae, if you're going to say another word about how handsome Minseok is, I'm not–” He breaks off as he turns around, because the person in front of him is definitely not Jongdae.  
  
In fact, it's the guy he met a couple of days ago, who he suddenly can't remember the name of – Jonghyun? Jihoon? Jeongsu? No, “Hi! Jongin, right?” That's it. “Sorry, I thought you were someone else. My friend, Jongdae, ditched me for another lab partner this semester, and now I'm lost.” Kyungsoo is suddenly aware that he's rambling, and promptly stops himself. “What's up?”  
  
Jongin smiles a small smile. “I just recognized you and noticed you were sitting alone, and I don't have a lab partner either, and I thought, uh, maybe you want to be mine?” he says, and then his eyes widen at the implication. “I mean, my lab partner, not...not _mine_!” he quickly amends. The boy's cheeks flush, and Kyungsoo can't help but let out a laugh.  
  
“I get it,” he replies softly, fingers nervously playing with the hem of his shirt. “But, yeah, sure. Let's be partners.”  
  
As it turns out, Kyungsoo and Jongin make a pretty good pair. They find themselves working well together, on the same wavelength, and their first lab together goes better than Kyungsoo had hoped for with a partner he doesn't really know.  
  
“Do you want to meet up later, or tomorrow? To work on the report,” Jongin suggests when they're done. He's packing his bag and glancing up at Kyungsoo, who has found himself waiting for his partner to get ready to leave.  
  
It's not really something he needs to think about, because they do need to work together if their report is going to be good, and his schedule is usually free except for studying, but he takes a moment anyway. “Do you have time tomorrow afternoon? My apartment is empty. I'll text you the address if you give me your number,” he replies.  
  
“I was going to say that.” Jongin laughs a little, his smile sweet and endearing. They switch numbers, and then part ways with a “See you tomorrow”.  
  
[To: Kim Jongdae]  
 _I may forgive you for ditching me.  
  
Not completely, though._  
  
  
  
  
  
"Kyungsoo!" comes Jongin's voice from behind him just a few days after they finish their first report.  
  
Kyungsoo is about to enter the lecture hall, and turns his head to see a flustered Jongin approaching him. "Hey."  
  
Jongin catches up to him so they walk side by side, running a hand through his hair. "I had to run all the way from the cafeteria to get here in time," he laughs. "Do you want to sit together?"  
  
Usually Kyungsoo would sit with Jongdae, so he contemplates saying no because he's a bit awkward with new people anyway, but Jongin is nice, and there's a chance Jongdae will be sitting with Minseok. (It's not that he doesn't like Minseok, but he and Jongdae are still not dating and Kyungsoo knows that Jongdae will take every opportunity to flirt. He doesn’t need to be present for that.) "Sure."  
  
They enter the lecture hall and sit close to the first row. Soon, Kyungsoo gets a text.  
  
[From: Kim Jongdae]  
 _Who's ditching who now?_  
  
He looks around the room and catches Jongdae's eye, a couple of rows behind him. His friend is shaking his head morosely, but then Minseok sits down next to him and his face breaks into a grin as he greets the other. It's almost cute, though it doesn't take long for Jongdae to turn his grin back to Kyungsoo and point very obviously at Jongin.  
  
[From: Kim Jongdae]  
 _Who's the cutie? Is that the guy you did the experiment with? I understand why you forgive me (¬‿¬)_  
  
 _Tell him to join us for lunch later!_  
  
Minseok leans over Jongdae and reads the texts, moving his gaze to Kyungsoo and Jongin and grinning. He gives Kyungsoo a thumbs up. Kyungsoo turns his phone on silent and resolutely puts it into his pocket.  
  
  
  
  
  
“Do you have anything to do later?” Kyungsoo asks Jongin after the lecture. Not because Jongdae suggested it. Definitely.  
  
“Not really. Why?”  
  
“My friends and I are having lunch and I thought maybe you’d like to join us.” It’s hard for Kyungsoo to not stumble over his words, but he manages, and even puts in a smile so it doesn’t look like he was forced to ask. (Jongin is cute, okay, and it’s been a while since Kyungsoo was even mildly interested in anyone. He’s out of practice.)  
  
“Ah...How many friends?” Jongin asks. Is that nervousness Kyungsoo detects in his voice?  
  
“Just two. They’re nice, even though Jongdae might be a little intense. Is that okay?”  
  
It takes Jongin a few moments to think before he replies, and Kyungsoo waits with what he thinks is patience, but he realizes that he may have been holding his breath when he finally gets an answer. “It sounds like fun. Sure! We’ll see each other for lunch then.”  
  
  
  
  
  
Kyungsoo and Jongin end up meeting more often, both in lectures and “to go over our procedure” or “to work on reports” even though it’s not necessary to meet up too often. It’s nice, and of course Jongdae wastes no time in calling Kyungsoo out on it.  
  
“We both know you don’t need all that time to get the work done,” he points out a month later.  
  
“I want to be particular. I haven’t worked with Jongin as much as I have with you, so I need to spend some more time making sure we do everything right.” Kyungsoo shrugs as he makes the statement, trying to sound nonchalant, though by the look on Jongdae’s face it seems he’s failing.  
  
His friend pats his shoulder with a knowing grin. “That’s how it started, I’m sure. Keep telling yourself that, my friend. I know you’ll work it out.”  
  
Kyungsoo denies being interested in Jongin, but they’ve slowly gotten to know each other over the times they have met up to work on reports: like how Jongin has three dogs that he cherishes more than anything, and he enjoys playing video games in the evenings, and he feels awkward in a large crowd. And Kyungsoo can’t deny the warmth he feels when the other smiles, or how he finds himself staring at Jongin’s face when the boy is working.  
  
Sometimes he’s caught in the act.  
  
“Did I make a mistake or something?” Jongin asks, gaze flitting to his book before focusing on Kyungsoo.  
  
“No, you didn’t! Sorry, it’s fine, I just...got lost in thought.” Kyungsoo looks away and back to his own book, desperately hoping that he isn’t blushing.  
  
Sometimes, not always, but a few times in a month, Jongin will join him and Jongdae and Minseok for lunch, slowly getting into their little group, and soon Kyungsoo starts to wonder what he’s doing when he’s not with them. If he’ll come more often. And if so, why.  
  
He wouldn’t admit it out loud, but Kyungsoo thinks Jongdae might be right.  
  
  
  
  
  
Kyungsoo walks quietly on the street one evening on his way to Jongin’s apartment. It’s been a few months now, and the semester is drawing to a close. Recently he and Jongin have spent time together not only on reports but also studying intently for finals. They often spend several hours studying with small snack breaks in between, and when it starts to get late they will rest on a bed, staring at the ceiling until one of them has to go home.  
  
Tonight Kyungsoo is going later than usual, and so it’s darker than usual. There are few people around him, and every sudden noise has his heart skipping a beat. Kyungsoo's mother always tells him to be careful when walking alone in the dark. He understands why, since there are a lot of sketchy people around the city, but he hasn't had any incidents in the past so he isn't worried as he walks the streets on his way to Jongin's apartment. Still, despite the fact that nothing has happened to him before he thinks about his mother’s words every time he goes out late. The air is thin; it's a cold winter evening, and Kyungsoo breathes into the scarf that covers half of his face, hands in his pockets.  
  
Maybe he's a tiny bit worried. But he knows that it's unnecessary, because nothing ever happens. Never.  
  
A scream interrupts his thoughts. Kyungsoo looks around him to find the source, but he's the only one in this street. The scream sounded like it came from the dark alley to his right.  
  
Dark alleys are a bad sign in every kind of medium including real life, and every bone in Kyungsoo's body is telling him to keep moving. But if someone is screaming, then someone might be in danger, and he can't just leave them like that. If someone is killed and he could have prevented it, it'll be his fault.  
  
So, against his better judgment, he silently enters the alley, hands coming out of his pockets and pulling the scarf away from his face. He can't deny that he's also incredibly curious to know what's going on.  
  
Despite his attempt to be silent, his steps still echo a little as he walks, startling him into a stop. From here he walks much more carefully, almost tiptoeing. A light flickers, and Kyungsoo feels strangely like he's in a movie, which shouldn't be what he's thinking about when he's in a real life potentially dangerous situation, but he can't help it.  
  
There's a flash of red further ahead – a light? – and Kyungsoo frowns. He keeps close to the nearest wall as he follows where he saw the red light, but stops when he hears a thud and then steps coming closer. A figure steps out of the shadows, a man who can't be much older than Kyungsoo himself, clutching a bleeding wound in his arm. He's only wearing a tank top and jeans, and Kyungsoo wonders why the man is wearing so little on such a cold night, but the wound is of more concern right now.  
  
The man squints in Kyungsoo's direction. “Hello? Is anyone there? Can you help me?”  
  
Kyungsoo realizes he's shivering from standing still so long. He walks closer to the man, making himself visible. “Are you okay? What happened to you?” he asks quietly. Something is terribly wrong, his gut is telling him so, but he has no idea what.  
  
“Someone – some _thing_ attacked me, I didn't even know what hit me,” the man says, his eyes wide as if he is in shock. “I'm okay, I think? I mean, I'm in one piece, just, uh, bleeding.” He looks at his wound, then back at Kyungsoo.  
  
“What's your name? I'm Kyungsoo.” He says it gently, not wanting to scare the man off, but the man only steps closer.  
  
“Yixing.” Kyungsoo's phone beeps with a text. He ignores it for now; it's probably from Jongin, and it seems like their hangout will have to wait. He'll reply later. “Can you help me clean up? All I want right now is to eat and go to bed.”  
  
“Yeah, okay,” says Kyungsoo.  
  
Yixing steps even closer, and Kyungsoo swallows, his breath hitching. “Thanks,” says the man, lifting his bloody hand to Kyungsoo's lips. It catches Kyungsoo by surprise so he doesn't get a chance to react before the metallic taste of blood is on his tongue. All of a sudden, Yixing is grinning, his entire demeanor changed as he reveals elongating fangs and glowing red eyes, and Kyungsoo realizes what must be happening.  
  
None of his mother's warnings would ever have prepared him for being attacked by a vampire.  
  
The vampire grabs hold of him, and the piercing pain in his neck elicits a gasp. Kyungsoo starts to feel faint as he feels blood being drained from his body. _I'm going to die I'm going to die I'm going to die–_  
  
Then he's too far gone to be thinking anything at all, and then he is dropped onto the ground and the last thing he sees before blacking out is the vampire walking away from the scene.  
  
  
  
  
  
The first thing Kyungsoo notices upon waking up is that he's lying in an alley, all alone.  
  
“What the hell,” he mumbles to himself as he sits up and tries to make sense of the situation. His head is pounding with the random unnecessary noise ringing in his ears and he sees things surprisingly clearly despite the darkness.  
  
Then he remembers – the scream, the man with the wound in his arm giving him some of his own blood and then attacking him -- a vampire? -- _dying_ \-- he had been so sure he was dying. But here he is. Could it be…  
  
No, there's no way he's been turned into a vampire. Vampires don’t even exist, not beyond books and movies. Kyungsoo has read his fair share of those, a guilty pleasure, but that doesn’t mean he believes them. He would know if it were true, wouldn't he? There would be something that told him, an immediate, insatiable thirst for blood, red vision, a person standing in front of him with a sign saying _**YOU'RE A VAMPIRE NOW, WELCOME TO THE DARK SIDE**_? He feels more or less the same, except for the sudden ability to hear more than he needs to hear and the fact that his glasses are broken and he doesn't have a problem seeing without them.  
  
And really, he didn't even know vampires existed until he was attacked. How does he know he wasn’t just drugged? What are the odds of the vampire turning him? Maybe the guy who bit him is really a cannibal; the likelihood is probably higher than vampirism. _I must have hit my head really damn hard to be thinking I’m a vampire, oh my G--_ He coughs loudly, feeling like something has built up in his throat, but it goes away as soon as he’s finished the thought.  
  
His mind stops rambling when he finally scrambles to his feet and smells something delicious. As if on cue, his stomach rumbles, and he realizes he hasn't eaten since yesterday's dinner. He wonders where the scent is coming from and follows it to the shadows where he had seen Yixing come from earlier.  
  
The sight of a knocked out girl crumpled on the ground has Kyungsoo gasping and backing up, then he comes to his senses and approaches the girl again, checking her pulse to see if she is still alive. She is, but there is a bleeding wound on her throat and Kyungsoo realizes that the blood smells strangely inviting, like the scent he was just following. He dips a finger curiously, cautiously, in the small pool of blood gathered on the girl’s throat. This is incredibly unlike him, but it makes his curiosity even stronger.  
  
An ache begins in his mouth, like something is growing inside it. A quick check tells him that some of his teeth seem to have grown long and pointy. Teeth don’t just grow spontaneously, certainly not several inches in mere seconds. _What is_ happening _to me?_ he thinks, thoroughly confused more than anything else. Maybe a little scared. Maybe a little very scared. But in his confusion, he has accidentally smeared blood on his teeth. He automatically licks the blood off his teeth...and is struck by how great it tastes. That’s weird. _Really. Weird._ Surely this is not cannibalism. It can’t be, at this point. Cannibalism, as far as he knows, is not contagious, and he’s never liked the taste of blood before. He can’t even handle meat if it isn’t well done all the way through. Fuck, this is not him, it has to be a dream.  
  
Kyungsoo presses two fingers to the pulse point on his throat. There is no pulse. He should be dead – no, maybe he _is_ dead. What?  
  
“I'm a vampire?” he whispers into the alley, but no one replies. “Shit. This is so messed up.”  
  
It occurs to him that he must have been lying here for at least a few hours if the sun hasn't risen yet, so he checks his phone to find out what time it is. He should have at least an hour to get home before the sun comes up, he reasons, just in case the sun could really burn him, so he looks at the girl again. She must have been the one who screamed before he saw Yixing; it makes sense. Suddenly he realizes with a sinking feeling the possibility that she was not only meant as bait to bring him into the alley, but also as Kyungsoo’s first meal. The twin marks on her throat, two dark red dots, do look like wounds from a vampire’s fangs, if the stories are to believed. A sudden thought crosses his mind then: he wants to mark her too, he wants to feed on her. His stomach has been rumbling ever since he smelled her blood, like he needs to feed. He can’t keep going like this, so hungry.  
  
Instincts take over, and he gives in to the hunger, draining the girl of just enough blood to satisfy it. It tastes amazing, and he wants to keep going, but a voice in the back of his mind says he should stop. Stop, because this isn’t him, he doesn’t want to _kill_ her.  
  
 _But it’s so good. Just a little more._  
  
The thought scares him when he finally processes it. _No!_  
  
When he pulls his fangs out of her throat, he stares blankly for nearly a minute before he is struck by the reality of what he has just done. He has drunk the blood of a human being. And he _liked_ it. “Oh G--” he starts, but is overcome by another coughing fit. “Fuck.” Kyungsoo looks at his hands with a heavy feeling in his chest; there is no blood on them, but there might as well be.  
  
He needs to get away from here, to go home.  
  
It makes sense to try to close the girl’s wounds, since he doesn’t want her to keep bleeding, so he decides to give one of his theories a shot. He has read about this working. He tentatively slides his tongue over the wounds, and it works; they slowly close up, leaving nothing but two much smaller dots as a reminder of what he has done. Apparently there is some truth to the stories, he thinks absently as he staggers away, out of the alley.  
  
He suddenly remembers the reason he was out at all tonight. Kyungsoo walks in a daze, and finds himself outside Jongin’s home in a much shorter amount of time than usual. After knocking on the door, he doesn’t have to wait long before it opens, and a stricken Jongin is looking at him. He’s not wearing a shirt, there are dark rings under his eyes, and his hair is messy. He looks like he just got bed. Kyungsoo feels bad for making him wait and then waking him up at this ungodly hour. But it is better to go to him, because Jongin lets out a sigh, like he’s been worrying and is relieved to see him.  
  
“Kyungsoo?” is all he says.  
  
“Sorry I’m late,” Kyungsoo murmurs, still feeling a little like he is in shock himself.  
  
“Kyungsoo, it’s four in the morning. I texted you at least ten times. I thought maybe--” That explains his phone beeping earlier. “You look like a mess. What happened to you?” Jongin is looking at him strangely, which is fair enough.  
  
“Something...really weird. A little hard to explain. But I’ll try. Can I just stay here a little?” Kyungsoo doesn’t want to seem so frail and scared, but that’s how he feels, and he doesn’t want to be alone.  
  
Without a word, Jongin lets him in. “Can I get you anything?” he asks gently. “Water, tea, anything to eat?”  
  
 _Your blood, maybe,_ Kyungsoo thinks sarcastically, but then bites his lip because the thought is a little too appealing and _no_. No way he’s going to become a cliché. “No thanks,” he simply replies.  
  
They go to Jongin’s bedroom and sit on the bed. Kyungsoo quietly watches the other, giving a small smile to show his gratitude, really hoping that he will believe his tale and trust him.  
  
“So...Do you want to tell me what happened?” Jongin is visibly curious now, but also visibly concerned.  
  
Kyungsoo starts to tell his story, now avoiding his friend’s gaze. It takes him a while to get through it all, and by the end of it he’s just staring into his own lap, painfully aware that he must sound like he’s on drugs. But he’s experienced more than enough. “I know it sounds crazy, but it still feels like a weird dream to me too. If you can see what I see, then maybe there’s nothing wrong with me. Other than that I’m a...vampire.”  
  
“Okay, so... Do you have, I don’t know, fangs or something? That I can see?” Jongin tries, and he sounds shockingly sincere in wanting to believe Kyungsoo, if not confused about the entire ordeal. Kyungsoo can’t blame the hint of doubt in his voice, though. He’s not sure he would believe any of this himself.  
  
“The fangs only grew out once so far. When I smelled blood. I don’t know if there’s a way to control it.”  
  
Nodding, Jongin bites his lip thoughtfully. Then he grabs a piece of paper from his desk and slides the edge over a spot on his arm, wincing as he gives himself a paper cut. It’s not a big cut, but soon enough blood starts to trickle out, and Kyungsoo stares. The scent hits him slowly, and it smells so _Jongin_ that he is left with his mouth slightly agape, as if simply breathing it in will be enough.  
  
But it isn’t enough, of course it isn’t. This time he recognizes the ache in his mouth, his fangs growing out, and he touches them carefully to affirm their presence. It distracts him momentarily, because this was what they wanted to prove, so he looks up at Jongin. He finds that the other is already watching him in shock, eyes widened and lips slightly parted, like he wants to back away but doesn’t know if he should. “You can see them, can’t you?”  
  
Jongin nods dumbly. It takes him a moment to find words. “So you’re really a vampire? They’re not fake or anything?”  
  
“Seems like it. I’ve never seen fake fangs that can come out when you want them to.” Kyungsoo’s gaze goes back to Jongin’s arm, swallowing at the scent of his blood. “You didn’t need to do that.”  
  
“Well, it was the first thing I could think of,” says Jongin. A very faint pink colors his cheeks.  
  
“I...thanks.” Kyungsoo has already fed, but it would be a shame to let his friend sit there and bleed, right? “Should I? Close that cut for you? I sort of figured out that I can do that.”  
  
“Oh.” The other seems like he forgot the cut was even there. He hesitates, biting his lip, but then nods. “Okay.” And he holds out his arm in invitation. The tension in the air is tangible as Kyungsoo leans closer, and he notices that Jongin is holding his breath.  
  
He can’t help himself; he takes a whiff of the blood, taking in the delicious scent, then carefully licks it up. And it tastes better than it smells, better than the blood of the girl in the alley. The vampire takes over, then, because the cut is closed but the taste of the blood still lingers on his tongue. He grabs the other’s arm tighter, about to take a proper bite so he can drink more--  
  
And Jongin gasps, his arm tensing, and Kyungsoo stops and blinks, grip loosening, realizing. This wasn’t the plan. This is Jongin, Jongin who he could never force into this. Kyungsoo was thrust into this, suddenly a vampire, but that doesn’t mean he has to change who he is. His feelings and personality remain the same, even if bloodthirst is added to them. He’s scared and confused, but Jongin doesn’t have to be on the receiving end of it all. He shouldn’t drink from him without even asking, not when that’s almost exactly what happened to him.  
  
“Can I?” he simply asks, feeling strangely calm, like he’s waiting for consent, an animal ready to pounce when he gets it. It’s scary, something he can’t control.  
  
“What?” comes the reply. Jongin is obviously unsure, and Kyungsoo doesn’t want to force it on him. Doesn’t want to be like his attacker.  
  
“It’s okay. I won’t...I shouldn’t do it,” he says, pulling away before he changes his mind.  
  
“I-- I’m,” Jongin breathes. He looks like he doesn’t know whether he should be scared or not, if he wants to do it, maybe he just wants to run away, but ends up pressing his arm further into Kyungsoo’s grip. Kyungsoo wonders if he saw how much he wanted it. “Do it. I’m letting you.”  
  
Kyungsoo doesn’t know how to convey what he’s feeling, gratitude mixed with _wow I’m in deeper than I thought_ mixed with a need for more delicious blood. So he doesn’t say anything, just bites into Jongin’s arm and whimpers as the blood fills his mouth. He drinks enthusiastically, feeling everything blur until it’s just him and the arm providing him with all he needs. He could drink this blood forever, if there wasn’t a limited amount of it. It’s a shame, he thinks, maybe he should just...take all he can get?  
  
Then he hears labored breathing, the arm tensing. “Kyungsoo--” It brings him back, to the reality of his situation, and he slows his drinking until he can pull away completely and close the new wounds.  
  
A look at Jongin tells him that he may have taken a bit much; the other is slightly pale and looks exhausted. He relaxes, though, when he’s released, and moves back just a little. Kyungsoo doesn’t miss it.  
  
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to take that much. I won’t do this to you again,” he rambles. He doesn’t know the proper protocol for things like this. All he knows is what he’s experienced. He hopes Jongin isn’t scared of him. What if he’s ruined their relationship by springing this on him?  
  
“No, it’s...I can’t say it’s okay, but...I get that you don’t really know what’s happening, right? I won’t just let you be alone like this. So yeah.” Jongin sighs shakily, gaze flitting between his mattress to Kyungsoo.  
  
“Thanks,” says Kyungsoo softly, moving to touch Jongin’s arm and then stopping himself. “You look really pale. Maybe you should rest. Can I sleep here?”  
  
“Of course you can. You can stay here during the day too if you need to, considering the...sun thing.”  
  
“Thank you. Really, I’m so grateful.” Kyungsoo gives a small smile, and Jongin smiles shyly back.  
  
He quickly puts up a mattress for Kyungsoo so they can sleep the next few hours before Jongin has to leave for a lecture. When Kyungsoo wakes up he is alone, and all the blinds are pulled down on the windows. He can see some light behind them, though, suggesting that the sun must be up. The clock on Jongin’s nightstand says that it’s 2:30pm. Laying his head back on the pillow, Kyungsoo thinks about what happened last night. Apparently he’s a vampire now. So his life will change drastically, won’t it? Like it always does in books and movies?  
  
For one, he can’t go out in sunlight. He also might not be able to eat garlic, or be around silver. A quick check in the bathroom confirms that he’s invisible in mirrors. And most importantly, he has to drink blood to survive; and he does not know if it’s possible to control the bloodlust and not attack someone suddenly, or to make sure he doesn’t accidentally kill or turn anyone.  
  
Still, the more he thinks about it, it doesn’t seem like too much has to change for him. He doesn’t have to quit university; the most important of his classes have evening lectures, and it’s not like he’s going to leave for some kind of vampire school. Besides, he isn’t actually much of a garlic person, nor does he use a lot of silver jewelry. Mirrors can be avoided most of the time. This, technically, leaves bloodsucking as the most important change to his life.  
  
 _That’s not too bad, right,_ Kyungsoo thinks and sighs deeply, his eyelids heavy with exhaustion. Do vampires naturally feel tired during the day? He can live with that.  
  
His phone beeps in his pocket.  
  
[From: Kim Jongdae]  
 _Where r you? Thought we were having lunch today. U sick and didnt tell me?_  
  
To Kyungsoo, the logical idea is to tell Jongdae what has happened. He told Jongin, after all, and Jongdae is his best friend. But he’s too tired to talk, so he goes for a brief reply.  
  
[To: Kim Jongdae]  
 _Sort of. Had a long night, let’s talk in the evening and I’ll explain._  
  
He’s closed his eyes when his phone beeps with another reply. Groaning, he decides he might as well check it.  
  
[From: Kim Jongdae]  
 _That all i get? C’mon soosoo, gimme a hint or something._  
  
[To: Kim Jongdae]  
 _Fine, I got turned into a vampire and the sunlight is making me tired, please let me sleep._  
  
[From: Kim Jongdae]  
 _...I’m going to interpret that as ‘I FINALLY hooked up with Kim Jongin and it lasted v e r y long’_  
  
[To: Kim Jongdae]  
 _DID NOT. LEAVE ME ALONE.  
  
I’m really going back to sleep so shut up._  
  
Blessedly, his phone ceases to beep, and Kyungsoo lets the exhaustion wash over him again.  
  
  
  
  
  
He wakes up four hours later to darkness, and a quiet sizzling noise coming from elsewhere. Stretching his limbs, Kyungsoo gets up from his mattress and leaves Jongin’s bedroom. He doesn’t have to look for long before he finds his host in the kitchen, cooking dinner.  
  
“That smells nice,” he comments, and Jongin jumps a little, turning to see Kyungsoo in the doorway. He smiles at him, and Kyungsoo stops in his tracks.  
  
 _Oh no. I’m in love._  
  
“I didn’t hear you come in! Well, thanks. I didn’t know if you...eat, but I made food without garlic anyway. Do you want anything?” Jongin turns back to the stove as he speaks.  
  
“No thanks, I think I should get home. Thanks for letting me stay, though, it’s really sweet of you.” Kyungsoo finds himself kind of wanting to stay here with Jongin, who so easily accepted and believed what he said, but he needs to be on his own and figure this out. Whether he can keep some kind of normalcy in his life is yet to be known, and then maybe he can have a life he wants. Until then, though, he should learn how this all works, being a vampire. So the people he cares about are safe. He can only hope he will find another vampire that can help him.  
  
“That makes sense. But, if you need to...feed...some more before you leave, it’s fine by me,” Jongin says, pointing to his neck in what seems like a casual gesture. Kyungsoo can hear his heart rate pick up.  
  
It’s a tempting offer, Jongin’s blood. It isn’t like Kyungsoo has had a lot of blood yet, but he thinks Jongin tastes better than most. Like a reward you should only rarely treat yourself to. Still it’s best to not take more of it, especially not so soon after the last time, and especially not when Kyungsoo could risk killing him.  
  
“I shouldn’t. I already took more than I should have last night. Either way I’ll try to find somewhere to get blood. Hopefully as ethically as possible.” He smiles, bashful.  
  
Jongin says okay, incredibly understanding, and that’s when Kyungsoo resolves to not meet him again before he has control.  
  
He leaves, wondering what he should do with himself for the night, and pulls out his phone.  
  
[To: Kim Jongdae]  
 _Are you home?  
  
I’m coming to your place either way._  
  
  
  
  
  
“So...you actually _are_ a vampire.”  
  
Kyungsoo can feel Jongdae’s gaze on him, like his best friend is trying to find proof of his words, or a reason for him to lie. But he knows Kyungsoo, he knows that Kyungsoo isn’t much of a jokester. He doesn’t have a reason to suddenly come up with such an elaborate prank. “Yeah.”  
  
“Because that makes sense.”  
  
“It’s not like anything else makes sense. You saw the fangs. Don’t you believe me?” Kyungsoo fights very hard for his lips not to pout in frustration. He’s _not_ a pouting person.  
  
“Are you sure someone didn’t create some fancy new type of fake fangs and drug you?” Jongdae grins, then shoves gently at him. “Of course I believe you, that’s what best friends are for! I know this isn’t something you would make up all of a sudden. It’s just unexpected, that’s all.”  
  
“You think? I was attacked by someone I thought needed my help and woke up in an alley needing to drink blood. There wasn’t exactly time to get used to the idea before it happened.”  
  
“No, I get it. So does this mean you had Jongin’s blood? You were there all day, after all.”  
  
Kyungsoo doesn’t think he can blush anymore, but he still feels warm. Which is weird, because the fact that he drank blood at all is more weird and scary to think about, rather than sensual. It’s the way Jongdae said it that has him biting his lip. “...I did.”  
  
This gets Jongdae interested; he leans closer to Kyungsoo on the couch, a grin on his lips. “And was it like every single vampire romance where the blood of someone you’re in love with tastes much better than any other blood?”  
  
“I’m not--” Kyungsoo starts.  
  
“Don’t even try. I know you.”  
  
“Okay, yeah. It kind of did feel like that. But I haven’t had anyone else’s blood either, other than...the girl in the alley.” He shoves away the thought of that girl, attacked by two vampires in one night, alone. Hopefully she won’t remember anything from what happened. _If she’s even still alive. Why did I just leave her there?_  
  
Jongdae frowns. “So you drank his blood and then after waking up you just left because you think you’ll hurt him? My friend, are you aware that you’re a walking vampire cliché?”  
  
“Shut up, it’s not like that. I want to learn control. If I go too long without drinking blood, I could attack someone and I don’t know how to stop when I first start. The two times I’ve done it could have been a miracle.”  
  
“Looks like you need to find another vampire,” Jongdae says thoughtfully. “I would help, but my resources don’t stretch that far. Tell you what, though, if I do find someone I’ll be sure to whisper your name into the wind for you to hear.”  
  
Kyungsoo considers punching Jongdae in the arm, but instead gets up from the couch. “You’re an ass. Thanks for listening to me. I should go home.” For all his jokes, Kyungsoo knows his best friend can be counted on, and he appreciates the friendly ear in a strange situation.  
  
“Hey, tell me first thing if you and Jongin hook up, yeah? No need for juicy details, though, except how good he was.”  
  
“Sure.”

 

 

 

 

 

Being turned into a vampire makes one think, and so Kyungsoo wonders about details in vampire life, and how things work, if he'll live forever or just for a very long time. He hasn't considered this; is he really immortal now? How is it that Do Kyungsoo is immortal? He doesn't feel that different, and this sounds like something you would be able to _feel_. Maybe he'll start to notice the people he loves die. The thought is depressing, so he ignores it.  
  
When he hears someone being slammed into a wall maybe two hundred meters away, he also wonders if his increased hearing will get him into trouble more often.  
  
He internally curses his conscience for not allowing him to ignore the sounds of a struggle as he comes closer to the noise. Around the corner he sees a boy, probably a high school kid, white-faced in terror, being held against a wall by a man who is decidedly bigger. And fanged.  
  
Kyungsoo has become a vampire detector. Great.  
  
“Hey,” he calls. He's been noticed now; the vampire turns his head, eyes narrowing, while the boy's eyes widen. Kyungsoo reminds himself that he's not going to drink. “What are you beating up a kid for?”  
  
“What's it to you? You're barely bigger than him yourself,” the vampire growls. And Kyungsoo isn't really the kind of person who goes getting into trouble. He knows very little about fighting, and he has no idea what he's doing. A part of him is screaming that he's gone mad -- being a vampire doesn’t make him some kind of vigilante -- but the comment on his size makes him want to do something in pure spite. Besides, the guy is attacking an innocent kid, and Kyungsoo can't let that go.  
  
So he swallows and takes another few steps closer. “You shouldn't underestimate me just because of my size.”  
  
The vampire's gaze glides over him with a frown, evidently realizing that they're the same. “What, you want a taste?”  
  
And that, maybe, isn't something Kyungsoo should be replying _yes_ to, but it does smell good. Either way, it might be a way to get close enough to the boy that he can let him go. “Yeah. You're so big, you know, if you start drinking you'll probably kill him before I get the chance to even touch him. I'm a bit smaller, so I'll be pleased with just a taste.” _You're rambling, stop it._ “Deal?”  
  
He watches as the other vampire considers it. The kid, meanwhile, with the vampire's hand around his throat, looks like he just lost his last hope. Kyungsoo feels sorry for him. “Why don't you get your own food?” the vampire suggests. “We both get a full meal.”  
  
That's not the reply Kyungsoo expected. He gives it another stab, willing himself not to give up, slightly shaky as he walks closer. “Come on, I'm just a fledgling, I'm not that good at catching people. Help a guy out.”  
  
The vampire groans in irritation. “Fine,” he says, shoving the kid in Kyungsoo's direction. Kyungsoo grabs the boy and, smelling the blood on him, leans closer. His fangs even come out, his instincts telling him to bite into the skin, have a drink. _It would be so good, to have another taste of blood._ He has to fight to remind himself that this is not what he's here for, he wants to _help_ the boy, not _hurt_ him.  
  
“Run,” he whispers, and releases the kid with a shove away from both of the vampires. He launches himself at the other vampire so that the boy can get away.  
  
“How dare you,” the vampire shouts. A punch hits Kyungsoo in the face. It hurts, but the pain doesn't last very long. He panics, not knowing how to win over this guy or get away from him, and kicks him square in the chest. Vampire strength is what saves him, because the kick sends the other flying into the nearest wall, something that would never have happened without some extra strength.  
  
The fear truly kicks in once he sees the anger on the other vampire’s face. Deciding that he’s done for, Kyungsoo takes off and starts to run. Despite his improved speed, though, he can’t outrun his opponent, and is slammed into the ground. This hurts much more than the punch, and he tries to ignore the tears peeking out of the corners of his eyes.  
  
A hand grabs his neck and squeezes it painfully tightly. “What makes you think you have the right to interfere with my feeding? You trying to be a hero or something?”  
  
“No,” Kyungsoo croaks, because he isn’t a hero, he just feels too close to the assault that is a vampire attacking a human. He wonders if the vampire will kill him, and if he’ll die for real this time.  
  
The hand pulls his head up by the neck and slams him into the ground one more time. Kyungsoo cries out, pain shooting through his head and he must be bleeding now, how did this happen? “This ought to teach you. Stupid fledglings with your sense of righteousness; you have no idea what you have gotten into,” says the voice above him. His head pounds so hard he probably missed some of the words that are said to him.  
  
Then the hand lets go of his neck. Kyungsoo is sure the vampire is going to attack him again and braces himself for more pain, but nothing happens and he starts hearing noises that sound like a fight. Since he’s in too much pain to move anywhere, he stays completely still and listens, trying hard to focus.  
  
Soon enough the noises stop, the fight over, and steps approach him. It can’t be the vampire he made angry, because the steps sound too light to be someone that big.  
  
“Hello? You okay?” The voice is gentle, but Kyungsoo doesn’t want to blindly trust this new person, so he slowly turns his head to get a look at him, replying in a throaty, wary voice. “Alive. Sort of.”  
  
The newcomer is smaller than the other vampire, with a soft face and a gentle but serious expression. He moves to lift Kyungsoo up, revealing strength that can be none other than what Kyungsoo has recently acquired. “Come on. I’ll help you out.”  
  
The movement paired with the pain in his head and the rest of his body makes Kyungsoo’s vision hazy, and as he’s picked up he very absently decides to give in to the looming darkness, eyes rolling into the back of his head.  
  
  
  
  
  
White floods his vision when he wakes up, a weak ache in his head the only remainder of his fight. As his vision clears, Kyungsoo realizes that he’s inside a living room, a very bright one. White walls, white blinds on the windows, a bright gray table next to the couch he’s lying on. It’s a little too much, honestly.  
  
Where is he, anyway? He sits up and surveys the room some more. It contains little furniture and is nearly spotless. It’s so quiet, it almost seems like there is nothing outside these walls.  
  
“You’re awake, I see,” a voice comments, and Kyungsoo turns to see a man with a vaguely familiar face enter the room. He recognizes the man as the one who must have gotten rid of the other vampire.  
  
Kyungsoo tenses. Despite the fact that this man saved him, he doesn’t know that he has no ulterior motives. The man might very well kill him himself. “Who are you?”  
  
The man regards him in a calm manner, like he’s approaching a cautious animal. “Kim Junmyeon. I’m a vampire, like you. Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you.”  
  
This seems nice, but one can never be too sure. “That other guy didn’t seem too friendly,” Kyungsoo remarks.  
  
“There’s always some rogue vampires who make the rest of us look bad. Most of us are actually pretty okay.” Kim Junmyeon motions for Kyungsoo to sit up and removes a bloodstained pillow from the couch. Producing a cloth from his pocket, he attempts to wipe the blood off. “I spend a lot of time tracking down fledglings to help them out. You’re in a safe space here. Which is my apartment, if you were wondering. You can leave any time you want, but I imagine you might like some help.”  
  
“I’m not dead, then?” Kyungsoo asks.  
  
The man quirks a brow. “Technically you have been dead since you were turned. But otherwise, no, not likely. That would be quite the feat when you’re a vampire.”  
  
“Then why is everything so bright here? It feels like I woke up and was in some white heaven,” Kyungsoo points out.  
  
Junmyeon looks at him for a second, then laughs lightly. “I like to keep it bright, to have some semblance of natural light since I can’t actually walk into sunlight. But I’m flattered that you think it looks like heaven.” He flashes Kyungsoo a teasing grin, then seemingly decides that the blood on the pillow isn’t coming off so easy and puts it down. “I’m sure you have a life to get back to, but you’re obviously new to this. So what do you say? Will you let me help you?”  
  
Kyungsoo never talked to strangers much before his untimely death. He preferred to stay close to those he knew and were sure of. So now that this vampire he only just met is offering to help him, he’s wary, especially because he has only had bad experiences with vampires so far. _But isn’t this what I wanted? This is what I need, if I’m going to be safe. If I want to keep my loved ones safe._ “How do I know I can trust you?”  
  
“Well, you _don’t_. But you can choose to trust me and see where that gets you. I can offer you my assurance that I’m not going to kill you -- if I was, I would have let the other guy do it himself -- and I’ll assume that in time you’ll see that I’m not so bad. And, like I said, you can leave any time you want. That also goes for coming back. It doesn’t take long, learning the basics of vampirism, but you can come here whenever you feel like it afterwards.”  
  
It’s a good offer, Kyungsoo thinks. He had imagined having to leave civilization for weeks, maybe months, to learn control of the bloodlust. (Maybe his imagination occasionally runs off with him.) And the less time it takes for him to understand his new life, the faster he can go back to what he wants to. “Okay. Teach me.”  
  
His new mentor smiles widely. “Great. What do you want to know?”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Kyungsoo learns a lot about vampirism from a few hours in Junmyeon’s apartment. He learns that vampires don’t _immediately_ burst into flames in the sunlight, but that it can take anything from a few seconds to a minute before bad damage is made, and he probably shouldn’t be running around in the sun. He learns that garlic isn’t so much dangerous as it is simply unappealing, like most other food, but a vampire can eat regular food if one wants to. He learns that the enhanced sight and hearing can’t be trained, but he will get used to it after a short while, and that’s almost the same thing.  
  
He also learns that for his own safety he should stay away from people wielding pointy wooden stakes, and _try not to interfere with another vampire’s feeding_. Especially as a fledgling. Junmyeon looks pointedly at Kyungsoo when he mentions this.  
  
“What? Am I supposed to let it happen?” Kyungsoo asks, mouth agape. He doesn’t understand; there must be alternatives to attacking innocent people on the street.  
  
“Disturbing as it may sound, many vampires will either ignore you or bite your head off if you try to make them drink animal blood instead of human blood,” Junmyeon explains, leaning against his kitchen counter. “The fact is that human blood sates us much better than animal blood, so even some who are against drinking human blood will eventually give in if they get a good enough whiff. It’s who we are. If you think it’s that horrible, a silver lining of this entire business is that the human won’t have to remember any of it, and any traces of a feeding will be gone. There are also some of us who have their own personal blood donor, an affair which should obviously be consented to. A lot of vampires who are with a human do this, so it’s not a huge deal. I forgot to ask, how many times have you fed since you turned?”  
  
It’s a lot of information to take in, a lot to accept, but despite his disgust with the usual vampire ways Kyungsoo didn’t expect vampires to consider any of the options presented to him by Junmyeon. “Twice,” he replies. “There was a girl in the alley where I was attacked, and she was knocked out. I think the guy who turned me left her there for me.”  
  
“And the second?” Junmyeon prompts gently.  
  
It felt so strangely impersonal when Kyungsoo talked about the girl, who he doesn’t know at all. When he starts to mention Jongin, he needs to swallow repeatedly as he searches for the right words, and a chill runs through him at the thought of Jongin’s blood. “The second was a friend of mine. I went to him when I got out of the alley, and I told him everything that had happened. He let me drink from him after he bled for my fangs to come out.”  
  
“He sounds like a good friend. Not many people would let one do that.”  
  
Kyungsoo nods, watching his feet. “Yeah...He is.”  
  
“Well, since it’s been, what, only one night since you were turned? I think you’re better off than most of us, getting a hold of it all pretty early. That said, you do need blood, and I happen to have a stash,” says Junmyeon and walks over to the fridge, opening the door to reveal bottles filled with a dark red substance. Kyungsoo doesn’t need to smell it -- which he does -- to know what it is. “Human blood, drawn from willing donors. And,” the vampire grins, “free of charge. Since I’m a bleeding heart when it comes to my fellow undead.”  
  
How large is the vampire society? Kyungsoo is starting to wonder, because it now seems like this option is so thought out. “There is all of this, and vampires still attack innocents and kill them for blood?”  
  
Junmyeon shrugs in a way that suggests he is used to it. Kyungsoo wonders how old he is. “Some call themselves traditional. They’re the older ones, who think themselves above humans. There’s also the newer vampires who can’t control their instincts for various reasons. Know that there are more of those who don't respect humans out there than there are of you and me. You'd do well to mind your own business as much as you can if you want to live long.”  
  
“But you...you find fledglings and help them, right? So they don't go astray.”  
  
“That's the idea, yeah. I just try to do what I've been doing for you tonight. Not everyone accepts,” says Junmyeon, taking four bottles out of the fridge and placing them on the counter. The scent of blood is vague, but there, and Kyungsoo wonders how it will taste.  
  
“I want to help.” The words escape his mouth before Kyungsoo has fully decided to utter them, but he is certain either way.  
  
It makes Junmyeon stop, and then a friendly smile graces his face. “Maybe you should go back to your life first, Kyungsoo. Get into it and figure things out. Don't forget about your studies, and other important things. You can come here any time, you know. With some luck you'll have a long life.”  
  
Kyungsoo wants that, to go back to his life. But there is a fear that has been settling deeply in his stomach. “I can’t go back yet,” he says. “Jongin -- my friend who let me drink from him -- will be there, I can’t avoid him because he’s too sweet, and his...his blood was _so_ good, and I don’t know if any blood tastes better than that but I’m terrified that if I look at him I’ll want to drink from him again and what if I do it and I can’t stop and I kill him?”  
  
For a short while it is silent, the words hanging in the air. Kyungsoo blurted that out much faster than he thought he would. Finally admitting his fears out loud is scary but relieving, and he feels a headache coming on. He opens one of the bottles of blood and pours the liquid into his mouth. As he hoped, it eases the pain a little and makes him feel less woozy. When he sets the bottle back on the counter, Junmyeon is simply watching him with his head slightly tilted.  
  
“He sounds like more than a friend,” Junmyeon says softly, a hint of curiosity in his tone.  
  
Kyungsoo fidgets nervously with his hands, running one through his hair. Jongin _is_ more than a friend to him, has been so for a while, but he has been scared of saying anything, instead denying his feelings. “He is,” he mumbles, maybe more to himself than to Junmyeon. His gaze is fixed on the ground. “He is. But I don't know... Especially now that I've changed like this, I keep thinking, ‘what if he doesn't want me? What if what I've become scares him? What if I hurt him and he becomes scared of me?’ I don't want that. Maybe it's safer to just keep my distance, you know? His blood tasted so good, I'm scared I won't be able to control myself.”  
  
A hand lands on his shoulder, and Kyungsoo looks up in surprise. Junmyeon's expression is grave, which is not what he had expected. “I’m going to tell you something about being a vampire, Kyungsoo. Something very important. Provided that you don't get killed very soon, you're going to live for a long time. Take this from someone who has lived a couple of hundred years: in that time, you will experience many things. Love, heartbreak, loss, and pain are among them. Unless he is also turned, Jongin will eventually die, or you may break up. There's no avoiding it. But if he feels the same as you do, which could certainly be the case, it will be much better for you to spend some of your long life with him. Otherwise, in several years you might regret it.”  
  
This is something Kyungsoo knows, somewhere in the back of his mind. It’s something he has neglected to admit to himself, that he _wants_ to be with Jongin, that if Jongin feels the same way they do have a chance together even if Kyungsoo is likely to outlive Jongin. That he doesn’t have to make excuses, reasons it could never happen. Junmyeon tells him what he already knows, in a very convincing manner.  
  
Still, though…  
  
“But what about his blood?”  
  
“Well, you managed to stop drinking from him last time, right? It’s not easy for a fledgling to stop without someone else stopping them. What snapped you out of it?” Junmyeon asks.  
  
“I heard--he said my name. And his arm tensed. That was it, but I was ready to drain him and just that gesture made me realize what was happening, so I managed to stop.” Kyungsoo fidgets while he speaks. He's not a fan of describing events and how they made him feel. It's so personal and strange, not something that he would do unless it's to someone he's very close with, and even though he's become mostly comfortable with Junmyeon he still only met the guy tonight.  
  
“And you say his blood tasted especially good? Like nothing can compare, right?”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
Junmyeon smiles, and his face brightens. “There you go, then. His blood was delicious, but he still managed to snap you out of it. You see, since you're in love with Jongin, and you two are intimately involved in a way, his blood tasted much more appealing than the blood of someone you barely know. The relationship between the vampire and the human often determines how the blood tastes. It won't taste the same to all vampires.” He explains excitedly, like someone who is explaining a great book. “As for how you'll stop...He brought you back to reality once before, without even trying, so he can do it again if he tries. Really, if there's a close bond between you, like close friends or lovers, any familiar voice or touch will do it.”  
  
“So…” Kyungsoo says slowly.  
  
“I think you will be fine,” says Junmyeon, grinning. He reaches into a cupboard and pulls out a plastic bag, carefully filling it with the bottles he had placed on the counter, then handing it to Kyungsoo. “These are for you. I suggest you don't go more than about two days without drinking, or you'll be more easily affected by the sight or smell of blood. If you don't need them, I'd appreciate it if you returned them, yeah?”  
  
Nodding in affirmation, Kyungsoo accepts the bag. It is time he leaves now, so he can figure out how he wants to live this new life of his. “Thanks for...all of this,” he says. “I really appreciate you, you know, saving my life and everything you did afterwards.”  
  
“I told you,” Junmyeon tells him, a glint in his eyes, “I'm a bleeding heart.”  
  
  
  
  
  
It takes two weeks.  
  
Two weeks of Kyungsoo staying away from Jongin. He hides his face under a hoodie whenever he goes to university lectures, sitting in the other end of the hall and only occasionally peeking at the boy he's avoiding. _Why_ he's avoiding him he isn't completely sure. Maybe because he's still weirded out by his new lifestyle. He needs time to adjust, and he doesn't need to bring Jongin into that.  
  
He allows Jongdae to come with him to his apartment after lectures, because he's his best friend and because Jongdae is a very insistent person. They hang around in the evenings, and Jongdae talks about Minseok and vampires and various other themes.  
  
“You look really pale, Kyungsoo,” he comments one evening, munching on crisps. “Are you sure you're eating enough people?”  
  
Kyungsoo throws a pillow at him without a word.  
  
Jongdae simply laughs, removing the pillow from his face and placing it underneath him instead. “Seriously, though. People are going to question it. Maybe you should get a spray tan?”  
  
“Ugh, no. I'd rather just be creepy and pale. People will get used to it,” Kyungsoo mumbles and takes a sip of blood from the glass he's holding. The blood tastes fine, and he's getting used to it being a necessity. He also finds himself not thinking about Jongdae's blood, and resolutely shaking his head when his friend offers, because he honestly doesn't want to drink when the bottled blood is doing the deed for him. Still, he kind of appreciates the offer.  
  
Jongdae is a good best friend. And like a good best friend, he doesn't mention Jongin until the end of the week.  
  
“So?” he says with a frown.  
  
“So...what?” Kyungsoo asks, in honest confusion. Jongdae was just telling him about Minseok finally asking him to be his boyfriend (“ _He asked if I wanted to be exclusive_ , Kyungsoo! And so sweetly! Help me, I think I’m in love. I finally get to touch him inappropriately.” Kyungsoo grinned widely and congratulated him.) What does he want that relates to that --  
  
Oh.  
  
“Jongin, obviously! I see you gaze longingly at him in every lecture, buddy. You’ve had your sulky week--”  
  
“It’s not a sulky week!” Kyungsoo protest.  
  
“--and _another_ week. It’s time you get yourself together and talk to him. You know your vamp mentor is right, no matter how cheesy it sounds. You have most of forever; he doesn’t.”  
  
Kyungsoo sighs, because he knows that both Jongdae and Junmyeon are right, no matter how much he’d prefer to just hide in his blankets. Maybe it’s time he finally does something, so he doesn’t have to walk around with this constantly on his mind.  
  
  
  
  
  
He finds Jongin the next evening after a lecture. Jongin is packing his bag, with his back to him, and for a second Kyungsoo contemplates turning around and leaving. It would be ridiculously easy with his new-found super sneaky powers.  
  
But the name leaves his lips before he has planned to say anything at all. “Jongin?”  
  
Jongin’s head lifts, and Kyungsoo hears his breath hitch. It takes a few seconds before he turns around, an expression like relief on his face. “Hey,” he says, and the utterance is quiet, a sigh.  
  
“How have you been?” Kyungsoo asks. He doesn’t know how this is supposed to go. All he knows is what he wants: for his life to stay the same even though he’s become a vampire, for nothing to have to change except for his relationship with Jongin.  
  
“Oh, you know. Busy studying for finals, and all that. Not as interesting as it must have been for you.” Jongin looks at him shyly, gaze flitting between Kyungsoo and the floor. Then, “I missed you.”  
  
Kyungsoo missed him too. He wants to close the distance between them and kiss Jongin right now. “I...I needed some time to think. Can we talk somewhere more private?” Most of the students have left the room, but there are still a few remaining, speaking with the professor. Kyungsoo doesn’t want to talk about vampires, much less discuss his feelings for Jongin, right here where anyone can hear.  
  
As always, Jongin is blessedly understanding. They end up going to Jongin’s apartment as it’s the closest to their university, and sit in his living room, quietly looking at each other for a long while.  
  
“So--” Kyungsoo starts.  
  
“I like you,” Jongin blurts suddenly, then looks down at the floor.  
  
It takes Kyungsoo a moment to react. Then a smile starts to creep onto his face, the excitement from what he has heard controlling his expression. He can hear Jongin’s heart rate pick up, and he suddenly feels so happy that he doesn’t know what to do. So he says, “I like you, too.” His fingers ghost over Jongin’s hand. There are still things that must be explained.  
  
He tells Jongin about what happened since they last spoke: his fight with another vampire; being saved by Junmyeon; not knowing if he could stay around Jongin, out of fear of hurting him. “But the fact is, I like you. A lot. I don’t care that I’m a vampire; you won’t let me hurt you. And I don’t know what’ll happen in the future, but I know that I want to be with you now. If you want to.” The words pour out of him, Jongin’s confession giving him confidence he was afraid he didn’t have.  
  
Jongin likes him. Jongin likes him. Jongin _likes_ him. Kyungsoo is floating on a cloud.  
  
“I do. Want to, I mean,” Jongin says, a little hoarsely. His gaze is flickering from Kyungsoo’s eyes to Kyungsoo’s lips, lingering on the latter. Suddenly the air has shifted between them, something changing in their relationship, Kyungsoo can feel it, and he wants wants wants so bad, can smell it on Jongin too. They must have moved closer to each other without realizing it, because Jongin is now close enough for Kyungsoo to grab him by the shirt and kiss him hard. Which he does.  
  
Kyungsoo learns more about Jongin, then, like how he gasps beautifully in between kisses; like how he mutters Kyungsoo’s name against his lips; like how he cups Kyungsoo’s face as if he can’t ever part from him, his heart pounding in Kyungsoo’s ears. And Kyungsoo is sure Jongin learns about him as well: his eagerness, built up to become desperate need in the time they’ve known each other; his urge to tug at Jongin’s lips with his teeth, like he is tempted to draw blood and lick it into his own mouth; how his hand tugs at Jongin’s hair with a similar fervor.  
  
Finally, their lips part; Jongin flushed and breathing heavily, Kyungsoo ridiculously disheveled, their foreheads pressed together. “Wow,” is all Kyungsoo knows to say. Jongin chuckles softly.  
  
The tension is gone, everything that had built up between them leaving them simply watching each other, a hand on a thigh, a hand on a waist. Jongin watches Kyungsoo with a look that must be the fondest he’s ever seen on anyone he could call his boyfriend, and it makes him feel warm, feel like his heart has suddenly started beating in his chest again. If it had, it would surely have been beating as fast as Jongin’s. “You’re amazing,” Jongin says.  
  
Kyungsoo kisses him again, more softly, slower, shorter. When he pulls away, he can’t keep the smile off his face.  
  
“So are you.”


End file.
